Bob Ferguson to chair King County Council in 2010

January 19, 2010

Summary

Jane Hague to Chair Committee of the Whole; committee chairs also named

Story

 The Metropolitan King County Council today unanimously elected Bob Ferguson as Council Chair for 2010, with Jane Hague as Vice Chair and chair of the Committee of the Whole. The appointment of the Council’s new leadership team was announced as part of its annual reorganization of standing committees.

“I look forward to serving as Chair in a time of great challenge facing the state and local governments. We must be reform-minded and ensure that government is transparent and accountable,” said Ferguson. “By working collaboratively with my colleagues, the Executive, and other regional stakeholders, we will meet our challenges and reform King County.”

“I am pleased that the Council has moved to be truly non-partisan with the selection of just one vice chair,” said Hague, who as chair of the Committee of the Whole will direct the only standing committee on which all nine members serve. “This is a strong signal that we will work in collaborative way to make King County government more efficient and effective.”

The Chair and Vice-Chair, working together as the Council’s management team, set the agendas for meetings of the Council and Committee of the Whole and coordinate the referral and scheduling of legislation.

The Council will maintain the standing committees from 2009, and those committees will share leadership on a non-partisan basis:

Committee of the Whole – Jane Hague, Chair
Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.
Considers legislation and policy issues of interest to the entire Council, and is the only standing committee on which all nine members serve. In the fall, during the Council’s deliberations on the 2011 King County Budget, the Committee of the Whole will move to Monday mornings.

Government Accountability and Oversight — Kathy Lambert, Chair
1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.
Responsible for policy recommendations relating to strategic planning, performance management and measurement, technology, the Assessor’s Office, elections and licensing, and Boeing Field.

Budget and Fiscal Management Committee — Julia Patterson, Chair
1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m.
Develops the Council’s policy direction for the 2011 budget, and makes recommendations on the County’s structural funding gap and capital and operating budget appropriations. Patterson will also chair the Council’s 4-member Budget Leadership Team for the 2011 Budget deliberations. She will be joined by Councilmembers Kathy Lambert, Larry Gossett and Reagan Dunn

Environment and Transportation (formerly Physical Environment) — Larry Phillips, Chair
2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m.
Responsible for oversight of transportation (including public transit and county roads), salmon recovery, and water quality and control. Makes recommendations on policies relating to growth management (including land use development and regulation), comprehensive planning, annexations, affordable housing, and the unincorporated and rural areas.

Law, Justice, Health and Human Services — Reagan Dunn, Chair
2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 1:30 p.m.
Considers and make recommendations on policies relating to public safety, criminal justice and emergency management. Makes policy recommendations relating to public health, human services and housing programs, including the implementation of the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Action Plan and the Veterans and Human Services Levy.

Members today also appointed chairs for the three regional committees established under the King County Charter that provide a forum for development and review of countywide plans and policies. These committees include elected officials from other local jurisdictions:

Regional Water Quality Committee – Jan Drago, Chair
1st Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m.
Develops, reviews, and recommends countywide policies and plans for water quality and sewer service issues, long range capital facilities plans, rate policies and facilities siting to guide King County’s regional water quality responsibilities.

Regional Policy Committee – Pete von Reichbauer, Chair
2nd Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m.
Reviews and recommends regional policies and plans, other than transit and water quality. Issues that may be referred to the Committee or be the subject of the committee's policy development include, but are not limited to, public health, human services, open space, housing, solid waste management, regional services financial policies, criminal justice, jails and district court services, and the siting of regional facilities.

Regional Transit Committee – Larry Gossett, Chair
3rd Wednesdays at 3:00 p.m.
Reviews and makes recommendations to the County Council on policies and plans for the public transportation services operated by King County. These policies govern the planning and delivery of bus service, commuter vanpools, and van service for people with disabilities; establishing of the structure for transit fares; the purchase of new buses; and the construction of bus shelters, park and ride lots, and other transit facilities.

The fifth Tuesday of each month is reserved for special committee meetings as needed.

2010 County Council Committee Assignments

Committee of the Whole: Hague-Chair, Phillips-Vice Chair. All Councilmembers serve on the Committee.

Budget and Fiscal Management: Patterson,-Chair, Lambert-Vice Chair. Members: Dunn, Gossett, Hague, Phillips.

Environment and Transportation: Phillips-Chair, von Reichbauer-Vice Chair. Members: Gossett, Hague, Patterson.

Government Accountability and Oversight: Lambert,-Chair, Drago-Vice Chair. Members: Dunn, von Reichbauer.

Law, Justice Health and Human Services: Dunn-Chair, Gossett-Vice Chair. Members: Drago, Ferguson, Lambert.

Regional Policy Committee: von Reichbauer-Chair. Members: Dunn, Ferguson.

Regional Transit Committee: Gossett-Chair. Members: Hague, Patterson.

Regional Water Quality Committee: Drago-Chair. Members: Lambert, Phillips.

The Council's 2010 Leadership Team: Council Vice Chair Jane Hague and Council Chair Bob Ferguson